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US: Legal recreational marijuana clears final Vermont senate hurdle Bill picked up vote for 17-12 passage
WPTZ Thursday 25 Feb 2016 Supporters of the legislation picked up a vote from Wednesday's final count. State Sen. Becca Balint, D-Windham County, who previously opposed the bill, changed her vote and supported it. The final vote was 17-12. Balint said she decided to support the legislation in its final form after changes were made to reconfigure the number and size of permitted growing licenses. The changes encourage more smaller growing operations and reduce the number of large operation growers. The small grower licenses begin at $1,000, while larger growing operations will be required to obtain $25,000 licenses. The bill restricts the number of growers in the state to 30. Under the legislation, Vermont regulators would begin issuing growing licenses in late 2017. Retail sales could begin as early as Jan. 2, 2018. The Senate rejected several amendments to delay legalization implementation to 2019. Senators also approved an amendment to include health warnings on marijuana packaging that would be similar to the warnings on cigarettes. Home-growing operations and edibles would remain illegal under the current bill. Vermont residents older than 21 would be able to purchase up to half an ounce of marijuana for personal use. Non-residents would be able to purchase a fourth of an ounce. It would be legal to possess up to 1 ounce of marijuana. The bill now moves to the Vermont House of Representatives' Judiciary Committee, where its fate was uncertain. Hearings will not begin until after next week's recess for Town Meeting Day. Lawmakers return to work March 7. The law is designed to drive illegal drug dealers out of the state. Revenue from the 25 percent sales tax of recreational marijuana would be used for drug treatment centers and law enforcement officers. Vermont must front $2 million to begin the law's regulation. Legalization could create $20 million in new state revenue. A survey found 80,000 Vermonters use recreational marijuana. Gov. Peter Shumlin said he supported its legalization. Vermont would be the first state to legalize recreational marijuana by legislation. http://www.wptz.com/news/legal-recreational-marijuana-clears-final-vermont-senate-hurdle/38192194
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